The Puppet That Heals
by JayBirds
Summary: Senji would have never expected someone like her to come into his life. She was innocent, almost too innocent. But no matter how many times he tells himself that he's no good for her, he can't bring himself to let her go.


_Chapter One: Her_

Driving up the rocky road to his destination, Senji watched the lights flicker behind the dense trees of the forest surrounding him, a crocked smile gracing his usual stoic face with the excitement of what lied ahead. It wasn't everyday he was invited to a deadman only extravaganza, and with the promise of 'letting lose' their branch of sins at will would bring a smile to any violence driven man. Of course, his days of really letting lose had long since passed, but he still had the desire to fight to his hearts content. Even with one arm, he knew he was still a better fighter than most of the pansy ass deadmen that were bound to show up to this little gathering.

Rounding around a corner, he came to something that reminded him of camp; rows of cabins sitting next to one another with people standing out front chatting away like the world only revolved around them. If he didn't know any better, he would have had thought he'd took a wrong turn a ways back, but seeing random people manipulating blood for their own amusement told him otherwise.

Senji parked his bike next to a row of other motorcycles, turning off the ignition and getting off while pocketing his keys. When he turned toward the so called 'deadman party' he instantly noticed two boys walking up to him. Both had drunken smiles plastered onto their faces as they lazily walked over to him. Senji physically tensed, ready for the worse.

"Heeeey!" one called out, his eyes blinking quickly to momentarily blink the drunken blur from his eyes as he took in Senji's form. "Your — erm… Crows Claw! That's it! Man, I heard so much about you!" Surprisingly, despite his stumbling, drunken walk and too relaxed face, he hardly slurred a word when he addressed him.

"Ya," Senji replied with a smug smirk, finding it amusing that deadmen outside of Deadman Wonderland knew of him [1]. "That's me."

The one who'd been speaking broadened his smile. "I can't believe it, you're my hero man!"

"Is that so?"

"Senji!" An all too familiar voice called out. Senji turned in the direction of the voice to find Karako, a dark skinned woman with huge… jogging toward him with a smile. Senji couldn't help but look at her in confusion.

"What are you doing here?" he straight out asked, finding himself a bit flustered when he'd noticed her showing more skin than she should. He instantly glanced away when he saw she was wearing a too-tight belly shirt.

"Why wouldn't I be here?" she replied with a smile when she stopped in front of him.

"I just wouldn't expect to see you here. Don't you work at some shitty hospital now?"

"Yeah, but I took the week off, and it's not some shitty hospital, it's called a job. You should try it one day, might get you somewhere in life."

"Tch, what do you know what I've been doing?" he mumbled mostly to himself, still diverting his gaze away from the well busted woman in front of him. She still heard him, however, despite his mumbling.

"You keeping a job?" she teased half-heartedly. "That'll be the day."

"I didn't ask you, now did I?" Senji's voice rose, his usual anger already starting to boil.

He needed to let lose. Her words wasn't the cause of his anger, however. He was now starting to get antsy, and the only reason he could think of was because he was itching to start a fight. It'd been so long, it was almost like a drug. He remembered the thrill he would receive while fighting. He'd been trying to get the thrill back by doing a variety of activities other than fighting, nowadays, since society frowned upon the violence. Mountain climbing and various other similar activities only got the edge off.

Karoko smiled at his agitated state. How it brought back so many memories. "I bet you're here to fight, am I right?" When he gave her his best 'no shit' look, she laughed. "There's someone I like you to meet." She turned around and froze, head whipping around her as her eyes scanned the following area in a hurried worry.

"What is it?" Senji asked, noticing her suddenly stressed state.

"She was just behind me a second ago. I told her not to wonder off…"

"Who the he'll are you taking about?"

Karoko paused, her hands forming into fists at her side as thoughts raced through her mind. If anything happened to her… she wouldn't forgive herself.

"I got to go." Karoko ran off leaving a dumbfounded Senji behind.

Senji shrugged his shoulders and looked back at the two boys talking to him earlier but found they'd already left. He shrugged again, not caring that the attention was no longer addressing him and walked forward. Off in a distance he noticed a small crowd forming. He couldn't help but let the smile slide to his lips as he walked toward the mass of deadmen. Something told him a little friendly competition was about to begin.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" Someone announced in the middle of the crowd, addressing everyone. Senji pushed his way passed everyone to get a front row seat. He was surprised, however, when he saw his goggled, mountain climbing companion standing in the middle of the crowded circle and was announcing whatever bullshit he had in mind.

Senji, after thinking about it, wasn't surprised to see Brandon, he did invite him there after all.

"Let's get this show on the road! Enough dillydallying, let the lineup begin and let the betting commence. Tonight someone is coming out big in both money and fame." Brandon turned as he talked, both arms extended in the air like he was calling a field goal as he continued to speak, "There will be no brackets, only one on one matches with whoever the fuck wants to fight next!"

"That's bullshit!" Someone called from the crowd, murmurs was heard through the crowd of people with Brandon's so called rules.

"Now, now, no need to worry about being the starting matches. You see," he reached behind him and grabbed someone Senji just realized he had hiding behind him the whole time.

Dragging her by the wrists, and almost dangling her in the air, a young girl was held up for everyone to see… but something wasn't right with her. Her eyes were basically spinning in the back of her head and drool was dripping from her mouth in a very un-lady like fashion. She was passed out cold.

"We have a medic branch of sin user!" Brandon announced, his enthusiasm growing with his smile.

Author's Note:  
**[1] A lot of normal people, even other deadmen, didn't know much about what happened inside Deadman Wonderland, so Senji was surprised to see that anyone would know him and his deadman codename.  
**

**So, what do you guys think? Hope I kept everyone in character, -_-.**

**Also, sorry if this is short. On lunaescnece, if anyone goes on there then you know what I'm talking about, to get validated faster, the short the chapters the faster... so ya. The next one will be slightly longer. My other account on here, 9thDimen, I usually make my chapters about 6,000 words long, hehe. **


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